What do you mean it's an eggplant???

Growing vegetables is one of our summer hobbies.  Nothing big, just a couple of rows of tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, bell peppers, and green beans.  Well, this year, gardening had a new challenge.  It's name is Thumper.  Not only do we have to deal with whims of Mother Nature, we have the curiosity of a young dog to add to it. 

One bell pepper plant died early....thanks to frequent watering by Thumper.  Three suspiciously placed doggy paw prints gave him away...only one dog in our house is a lifter, and it's him.  We've had to repair rows where some dog decided to dig.  And now, we have an eggplant thief.  He thought it was a ball.  

Lightning:  What are you doing with that eggplant?  You know mom picks them and cooks them for dinner.

Thumper:  What do you mean it's an eggplant?  It's a ball!  It's round and it rolls when I drop it!